The curriculum, designed by a committee of practicing CFA charterholders in conjunction with CFA Institute staff, is the main source of study to get prepared for each level of the exam program.
Completing the CFA Program exams can take as little as 18 months, but on average, it takes about four years to earn a CFA charter. Successful candidates report spending an average of 300 hours preparing for each exam. Your preparation time will vary based on your prior education and experience. For each level of the curriculum, there are 18 study sessions, so a good plan is to devote 15−20 hours per week, for 18 weeks, to studying the material. Use the final four to six weeks before the exam to review what you've learned and practice with sample and mock exams.